ENDOMETRIAL STRIPE THICKNESS AS A PREDICTOR OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

Objective: To evaluate the potential utility of endometrial stripe thi ckness in predicting pregnancy outcome in women with an hCG less than a discriminatory zone. Design: Retrospective case review. Setting: Uni versity emergency department. Patients: Women who presented with sympt omatic early pregnancies after a spontaneous conception with an hCG le vel less than a discriminatory zone evaluated to rule out an ectopic p regnancy (EP). Interventions: Measure endometrial stripe thickness by transvaginal ultrasound. Main Outcome Measures: Initial endometrial st ripe thickness was correlated to eventual pregnancy outcomes. Results: The mean initial endometrial stripe thickness of patients eventually diagnosed with an intrauterine pregnancy (13.42 +/- 0.68 mm), spontane ous abortion (9.28 +/- 0.88 mm), and an EP (5.95 +/- 0.35 mm) were all statistically different from each other. Ninety-seven percent of preg nancies found to have an endometrial stripe thickness less than or equ al to 8 mm were abnormal (EP or spontaneous abortion). Conclusions: Th is study suggest a role of the evaluation of the endometrial stripe th ickness in the detection of abnormal pregnancies in patients presentin g for evaluation of a symptomatic early pregnancy with an hCG below a discriminatory zone. Initial endometrial stripe thickness measured in patients with an EP is significantly thinner than in those with an int rauterine pregnancy.